Originally Posted by columbine
There's another anti-hairball treat that doesn't have any petroleum. It's called Cat Lube (seriously!) and it's made by Veterinarian's Best. It's psyllium and some enzymes, and chicken flavored.
Smudge used to get horrible constipation and constant hairballs, but when he started getting mucus plugs (the THIRD kind of urinary blockage) he just lost his taste for anything containing petroleum. Wouldn't eat it, even Temptations, which he'd loved before. But he definitely likes Cat Lube (they're big; if Squeak is small you can break them in half). You can also mix psyllium fiber (MetaMEOWcil ;) ) in Squeak's canned food.
Smudge's treat of choice these days is CET (fish flavor) teeth-cleaning treats. They're a bit pricey, but he's 11 and his mouth is perfect! And they're about the size of a small mouse, so he has fun taking them apart too.
Oh, and not long after Smudge refused to eat any more petroleum, his mucus plugs cleared up. Coincidence? Who knows.
Love, Columbine